Fuel oil heater with means for preventing entrainment of fuel oil with the circulating medium



Sept. 9. 1952 H. F. YULA EI'AL 2,810,267

FUEL H MEANS FOR PREVENTING ENTRAINMENT' WITH THE CIRCULATING MEDIUM OIL TER WIT OF U I. OIL 51 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Feb. 28, 19

NTORS enial oin/i S Sept. 9, 1952 H. F. YULA ETAL 2,610,267

I FUEL. on. HEATER WITH MEANS FOR PREVENTING ENTRAINMENT oE FUEL on. WITH THE CIRCULATING MEDIUM Filed Feb. 28, 1951 2 sEEETs-sEEET 2 w NVENTORS HNKY Yul-4 R44! Ml. Yuma MQM Patented Sept. 9, 1952 FUEL OIL HEATER WITH MEANS FOR PRE- VENTING ENTRAINMENT F FUEL OIL WITH THE CIRCULATING MEDIUM Hem-yF. Yula,fNew York, and Ralph W. Yula,

' Flushing, N. Y., assignors to Yula Water Heaters,.Inc., New York, N.

New York This invention relates to a fuel oil heater for preheating fuel oil as the same-flows to the burner of a furnace, or boiler.

The invention comp-rehends a fuel oil heater which is constructedand arranged to prevent fuel oil which-may escape through ruptured coils in'the heater. from circulating with the heating medium. Fuel oil heaters are provided with coils which are connectedwith the fuel oil supply leading to the burner of a furnace or boiler while the medium heated thereby such as water is conducted by piping to the fuel oil heater and circulates therethrough for heating the fuel oil circulating through the coils therein. Since the fuel oil supply flows through the coils under pressure any rupture occurring in thecoils will result'in fuel oil being forced into the circulating medium in the heater. A dangerous condition is thus produced since the circulating medium flows back to the furnace or boiler with the result that the fuel oil will become entrained therewith and flow into the water chamber of the furnace or boiler. In order to prevent entraimnent of th fuel oil with the flow of the circulating medium means is provided for reducing the velocity of the flow of the circulating medium adjacent the discharge outlet. The specific gravity of the'fuel oil being less than that of water, the oil will flow upwardly through the circulating medium to the top of the fuel oil heater when the velocity of the circulating medium is thus lessened.

.Still another object of the invention is to providemeans for disconnecting the electrical circuit with the motor of the fuel oil pump when fuel oil escaping from the coils in the fuel oil heater ascends to the top of the circulating medium therein. v

Still another object of the invention is to provide a warning signal when the electrical circuit with the fuel oil pump is disconnected.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following speciflcation and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a fuel oil heater constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 22 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram of an electrical circuit including an alarm and an electrical plug shown in position on the shell for disconnecting the circuit to the motor of the fuel oil pump.

'Y.,i a corporation of j Application February 2a, 1951, Serial No. 213,182

5 Claims. (01.200-52) Fig. 4 is a fragmentary 'view showing modified means for maintaining the desired level of the circulating water in the heater.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the fuel oil heater includes a shell I0 comprising a cylindrical wall I I which is closed at one end by a tube sheet I2 having apertures I3 opening therethrough in which are securedthe ends of a plurality of U-shaped tubes I4 extending longitudinally Within the shell. Arranged on the tube sheet I2 is a head I5 provided with ver- I inlet 23 which opens into the lower left hand chamber 20 as viewed from the front and an oil outlet 24 which opens into the right hand chamber I8. The inlet and outlet 23 and 24 are adapted to be connected in the fuel oil supply line leading from the fuel oil pump P to the burner of a furnace or boiler for preheating the fuel oil before the same is delivered to the burner. The cylindrical wall II is provided with a peripheral flange 26 at its forward end to which the tube sheet I2 and the head I5 are secure by circumferentially spaced bolts 21.

In Order to heat the fuel oil as the samepasses through the tubes I4, the shell I0 is provided with an inlet 25 in the rear wall thereof through which a heated circulating medium such as hot water is admitted to the shell and flows forwardly therethrough and is discharged through a discharge outlet 28. The inlet 25 is adapted tobe connected by piping with the upper end of-thehot water chamber of a furnace or boiler while the outlet 28 is connected with the bottom of the hot water chamber to therebyprovide a positive circulation of the hot water through the shell for heating the fuel oil circulating through the tubes I4. The circulation of the heated medium through the shell I0 also functions to entrain any fuel oil which might escape from the tubes I4 due to rupture thereof and in order to prevent the fuel oil from being discharged with the heated circulating medium throughtthe discharge outlet 28, the shell is provided with a depending extension 30 forming a discharge chamber 3| located adjacent the forward end of the shell and from the bottom of which extends the discharge outlet 28.

The cross-sectional area of the discharge chamber 31 is approximately three times the crosssectional area of the discharge outlet 28 whereby the velocity of the heated circulating medium will be materially lessened in the discharge chamber will be understood that any fuel oil passing with the heated circulating medium through the discharge outlet 28 will be admitted tothe hot waterj .10

chamber of the furnace or boiler thus producing a dangerous condition.

Located above the dischargechamber3 I andi 3 position to be acted upon by fuel ,oilpassing up-, 5:

wardly from the discharge chamber3 I is mea'nsI-J arranged in an electrical circuit with the motor Mof the fuel oil pump P for. disconnecting the circuit and for actuating an alarm when fuel oil has collected on the top of the heated circulating. 9

engaged in the upper end thereof. An electric plus 36 having a metallic projection 31 provided withlan electric terminal 36 is threadedly secured in the housing-35 with the terminal 38 disposed in spacedrelation from the wall of the tubular fitt me 34. I l Y y The plug 36 is arranged in the secondary circuit ofa transformer 60 by conductor wires 4 I anddZ leading to thesecondary coil 43 thereof, the conductor wire 4| also being in :circuit with the terminal 38 through the plug 36 and the conductor Wire 42 being in circuit with the tubular fitting 34. The gap between theterminal 38 and the'tubular-fitting 34 is normally closed bythe heated circulating medium inthe shell which is normally maintained at a level indicated by the line 44 and in the event that fuel oil escapes into the shell and rises to the top thereof to displace the heated circulating medium in-the fitting34,

the secondary circuit will be disconnected bythefuel oil between the terminal and the tubular fitting. r

AISO interposedqin the secondarycircuit is a; relay 46 having an armature 46 whichisattracted by the core 47 to bridge the conductor wires 68 and 69 leading. to the motor M of the fueloil pump Prwhereby the fuel oil pumpis in operation to pump fuel oil through. the fuel oil heater and to the burner when the secondary circuit is closed. If, however, the secondary circuit isopened by means of fueloil rising to the top of the-shell 10,-16118 armature 46 will be moved by the. springlfl; to close the circuit leadin to-an electrically actuated bell-or alar-mtfl. The'bell or alarm 49 is-connected by a conductor wire 56 to a terminal 53and by a conductor wire 5l-to a terminalfiz through the armature 46 and one side of -;the primary circuit, the terminals 52 and 53 being connected with a source of current supply taneously with the sounding of the alarm and an electric light 6 I. is interposed in the primary circuitscas to' indicate when the transformer-is energized.

The tubular fitting 34 has an equalizing pressure pipe 63 connected to one side thereof which extends upwardly and is then connected with the steam chamber above the=hotwater chamber of the furnace or boiler not lshown)' to which the fuel oil is supplied. The equalizing pressure I .-pipe 63 is normally filled with the heated circulating water to the level indicated by the ref- [eren'ce character- '64 which is the level of the water -inQ-thehot water chamber of the said furnace or boiler. This is due to the fact that the water yinthe hot water chamber and the circulating water in the pipei63 will have the pressure main- .tained in the' steam chamber on the surface thereof. Itfollows therefore that when fuel oil escapes from thetubes in the shell and has displaced the water in the equalizing pressure pipe 63 and the tubular fitting 34 to a point below the terminal 38, the electrical connection between the terminal 36 and thetubular fitting .34 will .be broken. .In the event that the heated circulating water should drop below the-terminal138, the electrical connection therebetween will also be broken so .as to sound the alarm and disconnect the motor driving the fuel oil pump. 1

Instead of .the equalizing pressure pipe 63, the tubular fitting 34 is provided with an upwardlyextending pipe 76 having an air valve H at the top thereof which is adapted to vent air rising in the pipe to the atmosphere and to maintain the level of the heated circulating water above the. terminal38. This type of constructionis employed when the circulating water is received from a furnace or boiler connected in a hot water heating-system. In both forms of construction the tubular fitting 34 is provided with :aglobe valve 72 for exhausting the air from the shell duringfillingthereof with the circulating water.

The electric plug '36 is similar to the usual spark plug with the exception thatthe same has but one terminal as indicated by the reference character 38, whichis insulated from the tubular fitting 34,;the latter forming the other electrica terminalin the secondary circuitu a The tubes. {4- may be arranged in any desired manner-to circulate the fuelyo'il through the heater. As illustrated, the'fuel oil enters through: the inlet 23 into the chamber 2% and thence flows through certain; of the tubes 46 and is admitted into the chamber IQ wher'e'itenters certain other of the tubes i l and passe'stherethrough and is admitted to the chamber, 2!. From the chamber 2!- the fuel oil enters certain other of the tubes adjacent the top of. the heater and passes there-- through and is discharged into the chamber I8 and thcnce'through the outlet 24 to .the burner of the furnace or boiler.

A hand switch 74' is'interposed in the primary circuit anda hand switch "it .is'arranged in circuit with the'light 59. By means of these switches the circuitto theprimary coil'fi l may be opened and the circuit to the light'59 may be closed as desired. 7 v 1 1 As illustrated iirFig. 3 of'the drawings, the secondary circuit is broken. by means of a quantity of oil floating on top of the circulating liquid-between the lines M and "i6. This causes the spring 48 to pull thearmature E6"to close:the

circuit with the alarm 59.

What is claimed is: l

1. In a fuel oil heater, a shell having inlet outlet openings, a plurality of tubes arranged in said shell for circulating fuel oil admitted at the rear end thereof for admitting heated circulating liquid for heating the fuel oil circulating in said tubes, a tubular extension depending from said shell adjacent the forward end thereof and having an outlet, and said tubular extension providing a discharge chamber for reducing the velocity of the flow of the heated circulating liquid prior to the discharge thereof through said outlet to thereby permit fuel oil which may escape from ruptures in said coils and entrained with the circulating liquid to flow to the top of the shell, and a circuit breaker carried by the shell and having spaced electrical terminals located above the discharge chamber and normally closed through the circulating liquid and said circuit breaker being adapted to be opened by fuel oil escaping from a rupture in the coils flowing to the top of the shell and displacing the liquid between said terminals.

2. In a fuel oil heater, a shell having inlet and outlet openings, a plurality of tubes arranged in said shell for circulating fuel oil admitted through said inlet and discharged through said outlet, said shell having a circulating liquid inlet for admitting heated circulating liquid for heating the fuel oil circulating in said tubes, a tubular extension depending from said shell and having an outlet, and said tubular extension providing a discharge chamber for reducing the velocity of the flow of the heated circulating liquid prior to the discharge thereof through said outlet to thereby permit fuel oil which may escape from ruptures in said coils and entrained with the circulating liquid to flow to the top of the shell, and a circuit breaker carried by the shell and having spaced electrical terminals located above the discharge chamber and normally closed through the circulating liquid and said circuit breaker being adapted to be opened by fuel oil escaping from a rupture in the coils flowing to the top of the shell and displacing the liquid between said terminals.

3. In a fuel oil heater, a shell having inlet and outlet openings, a plurality of tubes arranged in said shel1 for circulating fuel oil admitted through said inlet and discharged through said outlet, said shell having a circulating liquid inlet at the rear end thereof for admitting heated circulating liquid for heating the fuel oil circulating in said tubes, a tubular extension depending from said shell adjacent the forward end thereof and having an outlet, said tubular extension providing a discharge chamber for reducing the velocity of the flow of the heated circulating liquid prior to the discharge thereof through said outlet to thereby permit fuel oil which may escape from ruptures in said coils and entrained with the circulating liquid to flow to the top of the shell, a tubular extension connected with the top of said shell in alignment with said discharge chamber, and a circuit breaker located in said last mentioned tubular extension above said discharge chamber and including spaced electrical terminals normally closed through the circulatin liquid and said circuit breaker being adapted to be opened by fuel oil escaping from a rupture in the coils flowing to the top of the shell and displacing the liquid between said terminals.

4. In a fuel oil heater, a shell having inlet and outlet openings, a plurality of tubes arranged in said shell for circulating fuel oil admitted through said inlet and discharged through said outlet, said shell having a circulating liquid inlet for admitting heated circulating liquid for heating the fuel oil circulating in said tubes, a tubular extension depending from said shell and having an outlet, said tubular extension providing a discharge chamber for reducing the velocity of the flow of the heated circulating liquid prior to the discharge thereof through said outlet to thereby permit fuel oil which may escape from ruptures in said coils and entrained with the circulating liquid to flow to the top of the shell, a tubular extension connected with the top of said shell in alignment with said discharge chamber, and a circuit breaker located in said last mentioned tubular extension above said discharge chamber and including spaced electrical terminals normally closed through the circulating liquid and said circuit breaker being adapted to be opened by fuel oil escaping from a rupture in the coils flowing to the top of the shell and displacing the liquid between said terminals.

5. In a fuel oil heater, a shell having inlet and outlet openings, a plurality of tubes arranged in said shell for circulating fuel oil admitted through said inlet and discharged through said outlet, said shell having a circulating liquid inlet for admitting heated circulating liquid for heating the fuel oil circulating in said tubes, a tubular extension depending from said shell and having an outlet, said tubular extension providing a discharge chamber for reducing the velocity of the flow of the heated circulating liquid prior to the discharge thereof through said outlet to thereby permit fuel oil which may escape from ruptures in said coils and entrained with the circulating liquid to flow to the top of the shell, a tubular fitting mounted on the top of said shell above said discharge chamber, and a circuit breaker loacted in said tubular fitting above the discharge chamber and including spaced electrical terminals normally closed through the circulating liquid and said circuit breaker being adapted to be opened by fuel oil escaping from a rupture in the coils flowing to the top of the shell and displacing the liquid between said terminals.

Name Date Finney Jan. 12, 1937 Number 

